TaskRabbit is a website and app that allows people to earn money from everyday, small gigs. People can hire others to do their laundry, pick up something from the store, clean their house, deliver a package, fix a broken appliance, and more.
Like TaskRabbit, there are several other platforms on the market that offer similar services. Thumbtack, Craigslist, and Angi to name a few. The best TaskRabbit alternative is Handy as it offers abundant of options for both workers and people who want services. The rates on Handy are reasonable too.
More about TaskRabbit and why look for alternatives
Whether you need to put a table together or mount a TV on the wall, you can get help on TaskRabbit. At the same time, if you want to earn some extra money doing random tasks, TaskRabbit is a great place to go.
However, TaskRabbit isn’t for everyone. For one, it charges a pretty expensive service fee, both for Taskers (workers) and customers.
In addition, there are some other things you might not like about TaskRabbit. It requires all Taskers to go through a background check, which means you can’t start sending proposals immediately.
There are tasks you can’t find on TaskRabbit, especially online gigs. If you want to work from home, TaskRabbit isn’t really for you – you’ll need to interact with other people.
If you own a service company instead of working individually, TaskRabbit might also not be for you. There are better places to advertise your services and find customers.
The general advice is not to put all your eggs in one basket. If you are looking for work, relying on TaskRabbit alone isn’t the best idea. There are some good alternatives to TaskRabbit, as mentioned above.
Stick around if you want to know more about them.
Best TaskRabbit Alternatives
1. Handy
Handy is sort of the eBay of home services. Services popular on Handy include:
- Home cleaning
- Furniture assembly
- Plumbing
- Electric work
- Office cleaning
- Painting
- Home sanitization
- Flooring repair
- Deck installation
- Basement remodeling
- And more
A significant difference between TaskRabbit and Handy is that while Taskers on TaskRabbit can set their own rates, Handy determines how much you earn.
Handy will set an hourly wage for you, depending on the job you are doing. Your tier can also influence your hourly rate; by getting better reviews and completing more tasks, you can start earning more.
Because rates are fixed, you won’t have to negotiate with people trying to lowball you and pay you less than what you deserve.
Of course, certain workers earn more than others. Cleaning houses won’t earn you as much as doing electrical work, for example; skilled workers can always earn more.
To illustrate, here is what you may earn as a cleaner. Rates can vary based on location as well.
As a worker, that means you don’t have to compete with other workers lowering their rates in an effort to get more jobs. That can be a race to the bottom that can make it hard for gig workers to earn decent wages.
It’s also better for customers, as the tier system incentivizes workers to do good jobs.
One thing worth noting is that Handy charges a variety of fees and penalties for incomplete or poor work.
Some of the most common fees that workers end up paying are the late cancellation fees and the no-show fees. If you cancel a job (as a worker) less than 48 hours before your appointment, you will have to pay this fee, which will get more expensive as you get closer to the appointment time.
The no-show fee applies if you are more than 30 minutes late.
Another fee that might make some workers take a small pause is the late arrival fee. This fee applies if you don’t make it to your appointment on time.
However, it makes sure the system runs smoothly. As a customer, it helps you avoid wasting time on workers that show up late – accountability is important.
As a worker, you can avoid this fee simply by leaving for the job early and accounting for traffic and other delays.
There are some other fees, which you can check out here.
Handy does require a background check, and this can take some time. As a customer, though, it means that the people coming to your house have been screened – you are safe.
2. Thumbtack
Thumbtack is an excellent place to find gigs.
You’ll find a lot of companies on Thumbtack. In other words, as a customer, you will typically be working with a home services company rather than an individual gig worker operating on their own.
That is a major difference: Thumbtack is geared towards companies, rather than individuals looking to make a quick buck occasionally. If you have several contractors, for example, who work for your plumbing company, you can advertise on Thumbtack as a company.
Many customers on Thumbtack are looking to establish long-term relationships with companies. For example, many people look for lawn mowing services – such customers can keep hiring your company, time after time.
If you own such a company, Thumbtack may end up being a better choice than TaskRabbit over the long run.
Other kinds of services you can advertise on Thumbtack include:
- House cleaning
- Massages
- Moving services
- Tree trimming
- Wedding catering
- Appliance maintenance
- Dog training
- And a lot more!
As a customer, it also means that on Thumbtack, you may see more professionals instead of unlicensed workers.
Thumbtack also works quite differently than TaskRabbit. It doesn’t take a commission off what you earn; instead, it charges you per lead.
In other words, sending job quotes can cost a small fee, depending on the price of the job. This may work out better for your company, depending on the percentage of leads that turn into long-term customers.
You can set your base price, but Thumbtack still allows for customization. You can charge more if the job requires it.
3. Craigslist
Not everyone knows that Craigslist can be a great place to find people to do simple jobs for you. As someone looking to make extra money, it’s also a great place to browse available gigs.
The best part about Craigslist is that it is entirely free to use. You will never have to pay anything to join the platform or respond to job requests.
You will also never have to pay a commission on your earnings, unlike TaskRabbit.
Craigslist has an entire section dedicated to gigs and another section dedicated to jobs. Let’s focus on gigs first, because many are short-term or one-time jobs, like on TaskRabbit.
You can browse all gigs, or you can browse specific types of gigs.
There are different gig categories on Craigslist.
Jobs like house cleaning, dog sitting, and domestic help usually go under the domestic gigs category. Things like landscaping, law mowing, and furniture assembly typically go under the labor gigs category.
You can also find event gigs – catering jobs and the like – and talent/creative gigs, which can include acting, interviews, and so on. Simple things like handing out flyers, testing products, helping people move furniture, and attending focus groups are all common on the Craigslist gig section.
You don’t need to register to use Craigslist. Just start browsing gigs in your area, and reply to any gigs that catch your interest.
You can use Craigslist on a desktop, but the mobile app is quite user-friendly, albeit simple.
One thing worth noting is that if you’re looking for writing gigs or computer gigs, you don’t necessarily have to put in your real zip code. Many of these gigs can be done entirely online.
Therefore, if you live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, inputting the zip codes of major cities can help you find online surveys, writing, SEO, and other digital gigs.
Another section worth looking at is the jobs section. Listings in that section typically focus more on long-term jobs, both full-time and part-time, rather than one-time gigs.
Nevertheless, you can still find one-time jobs on there, so it’s worth a look. You can look through all jobs or browse specific categories, such as:
- Customer service
- Finance
- Media
- Marketing
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Healthcare
- Human resources
- Nonprofit
- And many others
As a customer, posting a job offer on Craigslist is also free.
Of course, since Craigslist doesn’t have any signup process, anyone can post or respond to job offers, without any verification done on them beforehand. That’s why Craigslist has a reputation for scams.
However, many of the jobs are entirely legit. Businesses and individuals don’t always have money to post job offers, and workers can’t always afford to join premium sites like TaskRabbit that charge signup fees or commissions.
Do your due diligence, and don’t work for someone you can’t trust. Set your own guidelines and policies for how you get paid, and meet in a public place if necessary.
One thing worth looking out for are people advertising “make money online” schemes. Often, they don’t even own the products or programs themselves but are rather promoting an affiliate link, not wanting to spend money on traditional advertising campaigns.
As a hirer, vet the worker you are hiring beforehand. Ask them to provide some credentials, references, or something else that can help you feel more certain that they will do a good job.
Also Read: Strengths & Weaknesses For Job Interview
4. Angi
Angi is an excellent alternative to TaskRabbit worth looking into. If you haven’t heard of it, you may have heard of the name it used to go by: Angie’s List.
On Angi, you can find professionals for all kinds of jobs, such as:
- Plumbing
- Remodeling
- Roofing
- Landscaping
- Pressure washing
- Basement proofing
- Land surveying
- Exterior painting
- Gutter cleaning
- HVAC work
- Electrical work
- Siding
- Carpet cleaning
- Appliance repair
- And other home improvement jobs
For businesses offering various home improvement services, Angi is better than TaskRabbit. It allows you to advertise your services, run promotional ads, send quotes, send invoices, accept payments, and even connect your Quickbooks account for accurate accounting.
The well-designed Message Center and Leads Board make it easy to communicate with potential leads and customers. You can even get reports that break down your advertising campaigns by calls, quote requests, and claimed jobs.
As a customer, you can use Angi for free – there’s no need to pay anything. However, if you do sign up for the premium membership, you can access exclusive discounts and other perks.
You can also pay workers directly through Angi Pay, with a credit or debit card, which also comes with special satisfaction guarantees.
5. HomeAdvisor
Another excellent alternative to TaskRabbit is HomeAdvisor. It is powered by Angi, but it is a separate site.
Professionals and businesses looking to advertise their services would be well advised to advertise on HomeAdvisor. As a customer, you’re more likely to get high-quality services from licensed professionals, and it could also be a way to avoid the fees associated with buying services on TaskRabbit.
Businesses pay a small fee for every lead. Be aware that not every lead will turn into a customer.
As a customer, using HomeAdvisor is free. HomeAdvisor makes money from professionals who advertise their services and pay for leads.
Also Read: Best Workable Alternatives
6. Neighborly
Neighborly is a lesser-known alternative to TaskRabbit. On Neighborly, you can find residential, commercial, and auto help.
Plumbing, handyman, home inspection, appliance repair, and even asbestos testing services are some of the available services on Neighborly.
Neighborly works a bit different from TaskRabbit, though. Instead of advertising your services on Neighborly, you can get a chance to franchise one of their brands.
The Neighborly family of brands includes:
- Five Star Painting
- Glass Doctor
- Mr. Electric
- HouseMaster
- Mr. Handyman
- Window Genie
- Mr. Rooter Plumbing
- And many others
In other words, whether you want to go into the painting, plumbing, or any other type of home improvement service industry, you can start a Neighborly franchise. That can be very profitable, due to the brand recognition many of these brands have.
There are over 29 brands in total, and there are around 5,000 franchises altogether.
Costs are clearly laid out on this page. You’ll pay a franchise fee, and you may also pay a territory fee; you can also see total estimated investment costs.
You can either start your new franchise or take over a franchise from an existing seller looking to sell it.
As a customer, you can use Neighborly to find services from qualified, licensed professionals. You won’t have to worry about screening them.
Explore: Best Jobber Alternatives
7. Houzz Pro
While Houzz is a great place to get home remodeling and design ideas, it also has a section dedicated to home service professionals. From interior designers to builders to general contractors, you can find professionals for all of your home improvement needs.
As a professional or business, Houzz offers you a variety of tools that will make your life easier than if you were to use TaskRabbit. Some of the tools you get as a contractor on Houzz include:
- Manage clients with a CRM
- Send branded proposals directly to customers
- Create and send professional estimates
- Create a cost catalog for your services, so customers have no hidden surprises
- Create and send invoices
- Collect payments online via credit card or bank transfer
- Collect retainers and initial despots
- Set up payment plans for long-term projects
- Track your time worked
- Create 3D project maps to wow customers
- Create a visual project timeline, so customers know how long things will take
- And a lot more
You can even create a custom website and build an email list on Houzz, allowing you to keep in touch with former clients and inform them of any current promotional offers.
Various plans are available, depending on your company’s needs.
8. Upshift
Upshift is an interesting alternative to TaskRabbit. Instead of connecting workers with individuals looking for domestic help, it connects you with businesses looking for part-time or one-time gig workers.
As a worker, you get to pick when you work, as well as where. Just log onto the app and find available shifts in your area.
It’s perfect for when you’re in between jobs or when you have some extra time after work that you want to make use of. If you’re saving up for a vacation and want to work extra without committing yourself to a job, Upshift is for you.
There are even full-time jobs available on Upshift, though many people only use it for part-time work.
One cool thing about Upshift is that since you will be working for businesses, you will get a chance to update your resume with real work positions and experience.
There is another major difference between TaskRabbit and Upshift. When working on TaskRabbit, you aren’t actually an employee of TaskRabbit.
On the other hand, when working for Upshift, Upshift actually employees you. That means you will get a W2 from Upshift.
At the same time, there are no minimum work requirements. You can work as many or as few hours as you want.
You can work up to 40 hours a week – but if you get approval from a client, you can work more. Upshift will start you off by paying you weekly, and you can eventually upgrade to getting paid every day.
Unlike TaskRabbit, Upshift won’t take anything out of your earnings. It is 100% free to use as a worker.
Upshift makes money by charging businesses fees for successful work.
That is also how Upshift gets money for worker’s compensation insurance, employer taxes, etc. Remember, Upshift is employing you directly, not as an independent contractor but as an employee.
What type of work can you find on Upshift? Pretty much everything!
You can work as a:
- Housekeeper
- Cook
- Kitchen staff
- Restaurant server
- Janitor
- And a lot more!
The downside of Upshift is that not everyone gets accepted. According to Upshift, only 12% of applications end up in employment.
However, if you pass, you will have access to lots of jobs.
As a business, Upshift can be a great place to find qualified staff for one-time, short-term, and part-time positions. For example, if an employee calls in sick for a week, you can use Upshift in the meantime.
Upshift claims to have a less than 2% no-call, no-show rate. Perhaps that is why it is so careful about whom it takes on as a worker.
9. Instawork
Another good alternative to TaskRabbit is Instawork. It connects businesses with part-time and gig workers nearby.
It allows you to work on a larger variety of jobs than TaskRabbit would allow, giving you an opportunity to gain more experience in various industries and build your resume.
You have full flexibility in how much you work. You can log on and accept shifts as per your availability.
Businesses get a way to connect with skilled workers nearby when they need some extra help, without the costs of hiring a full-time worker when not needed.
One of the best things about Instawork is that it has a section with entry-level shifts (availability varies based on location). In as little as a few minutes, you can sign up to Instawork and start accepting these entry-level jobs, which require no experience.
For higher-paying and more skilled work, you may have to upload certificates, licenses, etc.
10. Amazon Mechanical Turk
Amazon Mechanical Turk, also known as MTurk, is a great alternative to TaskRabbit if you are looking for online gigs and jobs. Like TaskRabbit, it allows you to work on one-time and short-term projects, allowing for complete flexibility.
Amazon created Amazon Mechanical Turk as a crowdsourcing solution for the outsourcing market.
You can usually do the jobs on Amazon Mechanical Turk from your laptop or even your phone. Some of the more common jobs include:
- Filling in data
- Completing surveys
- Moderating content
- Transcribing audio
- Writing content
- Doing SEO
Many of the jobs are fairly easy to do and do not require any special skills.
However, the downside of Amazon Mechanical Turk is that the competition can sometimes be high, so it can be hard to get jobs – or at least the good-paying ones. In addition, the pay is often low.
Although the tasks might be simple, some of them do require a lot of time.
Wrapping It Up: What Is the Best Alternative to TaskRabbit?
The best alternative to TaskRabbit for home services is Handy. There are plenty of jobs and workers available, and you won’t have to negotiate on price.
For other jobs, I recommend checking out platforms like Craigslist, Upshift, and Instawork. Having a presence on a few platforms can give you access to more gig opportunities.
